Switch structure and steering column lock



1949- R. A. SANDBERG 2,478,016

SWITCH STRUCTURE AND STEERING COLUMNELOCK Original Filed Oct. 26, 1944 2 Sheegts-Sheet l l Aug. 2, 1949. R. A. SANDBERG 2,478,015

SWITCH STRUCTURE AND STEERING COLUMN LOCK Original Filed Oct. 26, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I!!! 7/! II IIA IIIIIIL -.I UIIIIIIIIII;

Hm /I. San 055x6- Patented Aug. 2, 1949 SWITCH STRUCTURE AND STEERING COLUMN LOCK Bay A. Sandberg, Waukegan, "-Ill., ass'ignor to Houdaille-Hers'hey Corporation, Detroit, Mich.

aacorporation of Michigan Original application October "26, 1944, Serial No.

560,502, now Patent No. 2;412,'752, "dated December'17, 1946. Divided and this application NovemberlO, 1945, 'Serial No. 627j9'2'4 .6 Claims. --I

This invention relates to ignition and'steering locking assembly for automotive vehicles and particularly to an assembly in which a locking unit and a switch unit are remote from each other and mounted on and behind the instrument panel with only the key-operable lock barrel for the steeringlock and thelmanually operable button for the switch unit visible to the driver in front of the panel.

An important object of the invention is 'to provide an improved switchunit which maybe readily mounted on the ledge of an instrument panel behind the panel front wall with the switch control button accessible "from the front of the panel, and to provide a'steering lockingzunit also mountable on the ledge ofthe panel'behind the panel front and with thelock'barrel for-operation of the steering locking 'bolt accessible for key insertion from the frontof the panel.

A further object is to provideinterconnection between the locking unit and the switch unit which will readily permit desired positioning of theswitch unit relatively to :the locking unit and which will function for intercontrol of the lock unit and switch unit so that =operation -'of the switch button forignition circuit closure will :be prevented whilethe steering is locked, and relocking of the steering will be prevented while the switchbutton is set'for closure of the ignition circuit,

The above referred to :and other features .of the invention are embodied in the structure shown on the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the ignition steering locking assembly mounted on the instrument panel which is partly .in t-section and partly broken away;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the assembly;

Figure 3 is a side elevation-of theswitch unit;

:Figure 4 islan end elevation of theswitch unit;

Figure 5-is a section on .plan'eV-V Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a, section on plane 'VI--VI Figure 3.

Onthe drawings, I'll indicates the instrument panel which at its lower end is deflected rearwardly to provide a ledge or lip 11. .The steering locking unit comprises the collar l2 split at l3 for receiving ithesteering column 1-4 to be rigidly clamped thereto by contraction of the collar by the screw I5. The clamping collari's atone end of .a cylindrical body .I'B which extends diagonally upwardly therefrom at the right thereof above the panel ledge II, aboss I! extending down from the body to "seat against :the ledge. Arscrew l8 extends through the ledge and threads into the boss II tos'ecure the :body 16 ofthe lock unit to 2 the ledge. 'The clamping screw I5 also extends through @the panel ledge so that the clamping screw,=besides functioning to clamp the collar I2 to lthe- .steering column, will assist the screw I8 in holding the'l'ock "structure in place on the-panel ledge, as shown on Figural.

A- bore I9aextends through the body I6 and a lock bolt 124i is axially movable in the bore and has the locking end 2| for extending throughlthe openingi22 in theisteeringcolumn I4for engagementzin the locking recess '23 in-the'collar 24"on the steering shaft 624 which extends through the steering column, this steering shaft atits upper end terminating in'a-steering wheel (not shown) in armannerwell known in the art.

The locking unit body 16 has aforward extension 25 terminating in a neck .26 which extends through an opening 2I'in-the vertical wall IIlof the instrument panel. Thisextension 25 has the bore .28 therethrough communicating with the bore 1:9. In the bore 28 is secured the tubular lock frame 29 which receives the tumbler lock barrel Bl] operable by a suitable key 3|. This lock'barrel at its inner'end carries a cam 32 which engages ina slot :33fpr0vided in the lockholtZfl, sothat-when'the key is turned thelock bolt may be-shifted'outwardly to withdraw'its lockingend 2| "fromthesteeringshaft 24 or shifted inwardly for-engagement of its locking end 2 I in the notch 23 of the steering shaft collar to thus lock the steering shaft against operation.

The ignition switch unit is constructed substantially entirelyof sheet-metal parts. It comprises a main supporting frame 34 of U-shape for seatingon the panel ledge I I to which it may be secured, as by spot welding, or detachab-ly secured as by means of screws 35. Extending between the front and rear walls 36 and 31, respectively, of the frame -34 are the parallel cross walls 38 and "39 separated by a space 40. The front and rearend portions II and 420i the wall 38 are deflected laterally at right angles and are secured respectively to the front and rear walls 36 and 81 of the frame 34, preferably by spot welding. The rfrontiand rear portions 43 and of the wall '39 are deflected laterally at right angles and secured to the front walls 36 and 31 ofithe frame 34,-preferably by welding.

Mounted on the outer side of the rear wall 31 of :the frame 34 is a switch S. The Switch comprises a housing -45 havingears 46 by which it may be secured to the outer side of the wall 3 1 as by screws 46!. Within the switch housing is a; switch Iarm 41*p1vote'd at one end for electrical engagement with :a termnial vpost 48 to be swung for selective engagement with terminal posts 49 and 50. The terminal post 48 is usually connected with a source of current such as a battery, while the post 49 would be connected with the ignition circuit, the post 50 being connected with some auxiliary electrical circuit.

In the space 49 between the cross walls 38 and 39 is the mechanism for operating the switch S. This mechanism includes a sheet metal operating lever 5| having a disk shape body fulcrumed on a pin 52 with its arm 53 extending upwardly beyond the space 46 to which the inner end of a stem 54 is pivoted, which stem extends forwardly through an opening 55 in the panel In with a button 56 secured thereto whereby the stem may be axially shifted for rocking of the lever 5|. As shown, the bifurcated inner end 51 of the stem receives the arm 53 pivoted thereto by a pin 58.

Rotatable on the pin 52 between lever 5| and wall 38 is a switch setting disk 59 which has a finger 60 extending radially rearwardly therefrom for projection through a slot 6| in the rear wall 31 of the frame 34. This finger extends into the switch housing 45 for engagement in the recess 62 in the outer end of the switch arm 41, so that, upon rocking of the disk 59, the switch arm may be selectively moved for connection with the terminal posts 49 and 56.

The arm 53 of the operating lever 5| has a tongue 63 deflected therefrom into the plane of the disk 59, and this tongue engages in a slot 64 in the disk 59, the slot being wider than the tongue to provide a lost motion connection. In its front edge, the lever body 5| has notches 65 and 66 with a tooth 61 therebetween. A ball 68 is forced by a spring 69 against the edge of the lever body for engagement with the side edges of the tooth 61. With the arrangement shown, when the switch button 56 is manipulated, the lever and disk will be given an over-center or snap action for snap operation of the switch. The drawings show the switch button having been moved in for engagement of the tongue 63 with the rear side of the notch '64 for counterclockwise rocking of the lever and disk to swing the finger 60' down for setting of the switch arm 41 into engagement with the terminal post 50. During this inward movement of the button, the

tooth 61 on the lever 5| was carried past the ball 68 against the resistance of the spring 69 until the ball came into engagement with the lower inclined edge of the tooth 61 whereupon the pressure of the ball by the spring against this edge caused the lever and disk to be snapped into po- 5 sition for setting of the switch arm for engagement with the terminal 50. Now, when the button 56 is pulled out from the position shown, the lever 5| will be rotated clockwise against the pressure of the ball until the tongue 63 engages with the forward edge of the notch 64 for rotation of the disk with the lever whereafter the tooth 61 will move down past the ball and the ball will be pressed against the top inclined edge of the tooth 61 to then rapidly rock the lever and disk for upswing of the finger 6|] and setting of the switch arm 41 into engagement with the switch terminal 49. When the button is now pushed back in, the lever will be momentarily rocked counter-clockwise against the pressure of I the ball until the tongue 63 engages the rear edge of the notch 64 in the disk 59, whereafter the ball will pass the tooth 61 and will engage with the inclined lower edge of the tooth to quickly snap both lever and disk to their final counter-clock- 4 wise movement for down-swing of the finger 60 to snap the switch arm 14 back into engagement with the terminal 56. When the button 56 is in, the auxiliary circuit connected with the terminal 56 will be connected with the battery, and when the button 56 is pulled out for engagement of the switch arm with the terminal 49, the ignition circuit will be in connection with the battery. After each inward or outward setting of the button 56, the switch structure will be held in such set position by the pressure of the ball 68.

I have provided a simple arrangement for housing the ball 68 and the spring 69. At its front end the sidewall 36 is cut transversely from its upper and lower edges to leave upper and lower rectangular portions 16 and 1| which are deflected laterally toward the right to abut against the cross-wall 39, tongues 12 being left on the ends of the deflected walls to extend through slots 12' in the Wall 39, the ends of the tongues being riveted'over or otherwise secured to the wall 39. The walls 16 and 1| together with the wall 39 thus form a rectangular chamber 13 for the ball 68 and the spring 69. Before the walls 38 and 39 are secured to the Walls 36 and 31 of the U- frame 34, the ball and the spring are inserted into this chamber whose outer end will then be closed by the front wall 36 when the walls 38 and 39 are secured to the frame 34, the wall 36 thus forming the outer abutment for the spring.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the switch unit is entirely concealed by the instrument panel with the exception of the button 56. The steering lock unit is also in greater-part concealed behind the instrument panel with only the end of the lock barrel visible at the front of the panel for insertion of the key for operation of the locking bolt. I have shown interlocking connection between the steering lock unit and the switch unit for preventing pulling out of the switch button for connection of the ignition circuit with the battery when the locking bolt is set for steering look, but to release the switch for connecting the ignition circuit with the battery when the steering lock bolt is set for unlocking the steering,

interconnection furthermore preventing resetting,

the interconnection furthermore preventing resetting of the lock bolt to steering locking position until the button 56 has been pushed in for disconnection of the ignition circuit from the battery. The interlocking connection includes a rigid endwise movable link or bar 14 which, as

shown, may be of rectangular cross section and,

given a quarter twist 15. At its left end the bar is received in a diametral slot 16 in the outer end of the bolt 26 and is pivoted to the bolt by a pin 11. A short distance away from the pivot 11, a washer 18 on the bar is backed by a pin 19, and a spring surrounds the bar between the washer and the end of the bolt 26, this spring tending to hold the bar against rattling.

At its right end the bar 15 extends through a guide opening 8| in the wall 39 of the switch structure to be disposed in front of the arm 53 of the lever 5| which is operated by the button 56. In its rear edge the bar has the notch 82 which, when the bar is shifted toward the right by the outward movement of the lock bolt 26 to unlock the steering, will be in front of the lever arm 53 so that the button 56 may now be pulled out for setting of the switch for service connection of the ignition with th battery. So long as the switch button stays out for connection of the ignition in circuit the lever 'arm 53 will remain in the notch and the steering lock bolt will assume be held againstshift into-steering l'ocking position. However, as soon as'the button 56 is pushed in -and the ignition switch has disconnected the ignition circuit from the battery, the bar i l will be released from the lever arm 53 and the lock may be set into steering lock position, and the solid part .of the bar 14 to the-right of the notch 82 will then be in front of the lever arm 53 so that the button 56 is locked against outward pull and the switch S is locked in ignition circuit disconnect position, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The switch unit may be set on the instrument panel an distance away from the steering looking unit to permit ready grouping of the switch button or knob 55 with other manual controls on the instrument panel. The interlocking link or bar M may be given the necessary length and shape for interlocking connection thereof with the remotely situated switch unit, the hinged connection between the link and the lock bolt assurin easy movement of the link in response to setting of the lock bolt into steering looking or unlocking position. The lock bolt may be sufficiently rotatable in the bore I9 for cooperation of such rotary movement with the connection of the bolt with the link to assure free cooperat on of the outer end of the link with the switch unit.

The subject matter of this application has been divided from my copending application,

Serial No. 560,502, filed October 26, 1944, Patent No. 2,412,752, dated December 17, 1946.

I have shown a practical and efiicient embodiment of the features of my invention, but I do not desire to be limited to the exact construction, ar-

rangement or operation shown and described as changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A steering and ignition locking assembly for automotive vehicles comprising a locking unit on the vehicle steering column behind the instrument panel having an axially shiftable lockin bolt for locking engagement with the steering shaft and with a key-operated lock controlling the shifting of said bolt, a switch unit mounted behind the instrument panel remote from the locking unit and comprising a switch operating lever assembly manually operable by a control member accessible from the front of the instrument panel, said locking bolt having a slot in its outer end, an interlocking bar pivoted in said slot, said switch unit having a guide passageway through which the free end of said bar extends,

said bar being disposed to move in front of said lever assembly and having a notch, said bar being set in said guide opening to bring a solid portion thereof into the path of said lever assembly upon longitudinal shift of said bar when said locking bolt is set into steering locking position whereby said switch unit will then be locked against switch closure, said notch being exposed to said lever assembly upon shift of said bar when said locking bolt is shifted to steerin unlocking position whereby said lever assembly ma then be operated for switch closure, said lever assembly when engaging in said notch locking said bar to prevent shift of the lock bolt into steering locking position until said lever assembly is operated for switch reopening by withdrawal of the lever assembly from said notch.

2. A steering post and ignition locking assembly for automotive vehicles comprising an ignition switch including an oscillatable lever, means operable by oscillation of said lever for opening and closing a circuit, manually operable means for oscillating said lever, a steering post lock including 'a -s1idable locking bolt, key-operated means for sliding the bolt, a bar hingedly con nected to one end of said bolt for endwise movement with it but not with respect to it and having a part lying in the path of'oscillation of said lever, said bar having a notch in said part movable by actuation of said bolt into and out of register with said oscillatable lever, the construction being such that when the bolt is in looking engagement with the steering post the bar notch is away from the lever blocking its swing in circuit closing direction and when the bolt is in unlocked position the notch is in front of the lever to allow its swing, the presence of the lever in the notch preventing movement of the bolt into locking engagement until the lever is swung to open the circuit thereby controlled.

3. In a lock, the combination with an operating member, of a bolt movable into engagement with said member to oppose operation thereof, a switch for opening and closing an electric circuit having a manually movable oscillatable notched lever, and a rigid rod separate from and hinged at one end to said bolt for endwise movement with said bolt across the notches in said lever to block and unblock the oscillation of said lever.

4. In a lock, the combination with an operating member, of a bolt movable into engagement with said member to oppose operation thereof, a remotely disposed and separated switch for opening and closing an electric circuit, said switch having a manually movable oscillatable lever, a rigid bar separate from and hinged at one end to said bolt for endwise movement with said bolt across the oscillating path of said lever to block and unblock said lever, and a switch box for said switch having means for guiding said bar with respect to said lever.

5. A locking assembly for an automotive vehicle, comprising a steering post lock mounted behind and concealed by the instrument board with only the end of a member having a key slot in it visible through the instrument board, ignition switch mechanism mounted behind and concealed by the instrument board, a push-pull actuator extending through the instrument board and having a knob on its outer end, .an endwise movable rigid member disposed behind the instrument board operatively connected at one end with said steering post lock and at the other end engaging said actuator, said rigid member being movable out of engagement to allow movement of said actuator to close the ignition circuit when the steering post is unlocked and movable into engagement to prevent movement of the actuator when the post is locked, the actuation of a kel in said slot constituting means for locking and unlocking the post lock and for moving said rigid member.

6. Automotive vehicle ignition switch mechanism including a push-pull actuator, a lever connected to said actuator to oscillate, a swingable member operated by oscillation of said lever to open and close the ignition circuit, a steering post lock including a sliding bolt, means for sliding said bolt into and out of locking engagement with a steering post, and a rigid bar hinged to said bolt and movable across the path of oscillation of said lever to block such oscillation when said post is locked by said bolt, said bar hav-. ing a notch in it to receive said lever when the bolt is free of the post to thereby allow oscilla- 7 tion of the lever by said actuator to close the ignition circuit. RAY A. SANDBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

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